Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1887-02-10


The strike noW IN progress il and
around New York grew out Of an unheF-
aided reduction Of wages ~ the coal
companies on she fret Monday cf tho
year. Some time last fall she coal tEim-
mesa employed IN the coal poFta facing
New York asked for aud Fooeived 3 nliQhl
advance In pay for their work, which IL
very afdnous. Tke companies olnim
that they then Rotifea the men that the
old rates wauld be restored IN January,
bat the mcn deny that any such warn
ing was given them. when notice Of
she reduction was posted nobody ap-
peared for work, aud as the companies
attempted BY one device and another 10
defeat the strikers, other lhb0reRH were
ordered out, until the nambeF nov On
strike runs up into the thousands.
About two-thisds Of the entire anthFa-
cite output Of the Pennsylvania mines
Is handled in the Jeraey tCwns neaf New
York. The strike has therefore bFouQht
the entire business OF shipping and dia-
tribnting coal IN that section to q atand-
still. and unless some accommodation
shall be arrived At before many daya Il
is probable that great distress viii be
occasioned all through New York and
the New England States. Already many
manugactories have been compelled 70
shut down for want 0f fuel. and othera
are on the eve OF doing 50. Iha spread
OF the strike haa nov practically paFAl-
wed many industries rot directly aaso-
ciated with the coal tgade, and chs pros
poet ia that The fight may yea extend 20
the railroads and the mines.
The scarcity Of coal" which vas
manufactured in q New York parloF last
spring has thns been intensified BY Q
colossal strike, b. means Of which q
section OF the country which usoa lAe
greater part Of the anthranita output
has been, 10 all intents and PURPOSES.
blOckaded for q mOnth. Even n th8
embargo should nov be renaoved u Il
said that the sprinQ would be far nd-
vanesd before the coal supply would b
sufficiently difused 10 permit Of a
thorough resumption Of the industries
which have besn forced 10 abandon
operations. OF course all this must
| have q direct eject upan the situation
i In the West and indirectly upon every
citizen 81 the United states. In many
respects the strike 10 like that which
/ took placs ON the Southwestern railroad
system last spring. Il has reached q
magnitude where the interests 0f the
l public transcend sn09e o. TIE immedl-
aie parties 10 10. The state Of var
which exists between several pia- headed
capitalists on shs one side aud many
thousands Of equally unreasonable
iaborers on the other Il disasir0as -
them, bat doubly 20 10 che hundreds o.
thousands Who have ne immedlato In
/ tersat In the strike. WheKUveF the Kiaht
or lhs wronR lies, u = Of immense I'M
portancs 10 millions that ths struggle be
declared oh and thai business be per-
mitted to resume its wonted activity.
Arbitration under Rovefnmsnf ans
pioee furnishes the solution Of ouoh
stupendous civil stFifee a. these State
vide strikes preoipliate. Men who preft
by these disorders, as well ~ foRios
who persist In treating modesn diseases
With anoient remedies, are opposed 10
arbitration, bnt public opinion can bring
Il about and public opini0n can make .
success Of t.--chfcag0 Herald.